Networked air quality monitoring

ABSTRACT

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for continuously monitoring residential air quality and providing a trend based analysis regarding various air pollutants are presented herein. The system comprises an air quality monitor located in a residential house, wherein the air quality monitor is configured to measure the level of an air pollutant. The system also includes a server that is communicatively coupled to the air quality monitor, wherein the server is configured to generate a unique environmental fingerprint associated with the residential house.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/145,480, filed Jan. 11, 2021, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,680,935, entitled“NETWORKED AIR QUALITY MONITORING,” which is a Continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/403,861, filed May 6, 2019, now U.S. Pat.No. 10,890,350, entitled “NETWORKED AIR QUALITY MONITORING,” which is aContinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/879,552, filed Jan.25, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,281,167, entitled “NETWORKED AIR QUALITYMONITORING,” which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/533,305, filed Nov. 5, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,890,969, entitled“NETWORKED AIR QUALITY MONITORING,” which is a Continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/737,102, filed Jan. 9, 2013, now U.S.Pat. No. 8,907,803, entitled “NETWORKED AIR QUALITY MONITORING” whichclaims priority to Provisional Application No. 61/584,432 entitled“NETWORKED AIR QUALITY MONITORING” filed Jan. 9, 2012. The entireties ofthe above noted U.S. patent Applications and Provisional application arehereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The subject matter described and disclosed herein relates to air qualitymonitoring, and more specifically to remotely monitoring indoor airquality.

BACKGROUND

Air quality has been a popular issue for decades. Air quality istypically in the context of outdoor pollutants such as smog, carexhaust, or smoke. The negative effects of poor outdoor air quality hason an individual's health has been well studied and is commonly known.Now, the focus is moving indoors to the negative effects poor indoor airquality has on a person's health.

Indoor air pollution is one of the world's worst pollution problems.People spend 90% of their time indoors and 65% of their time is in theirhome. That number is even higher for the patients most vulnerable topoor indoor air quality: bed-ridden patients with chronic disease, theelderly, and infants. These patients suffer from difficulty breathing,wheezing, coughing, and aggravation of chronic respiratory and cardiacconditions.

One such medical condition that is worsened by poor indoor air qualityis chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is predicted tobecome the third leading cause of death by 2020. Currently, poor indoorair quality is responsible for 700,000 of the 2.7 million deaths fromCOPD worldwide. When poor indoor air quality does not cause death, ittriggers symptoms in COPD patients.

Poor indoor air quality can also trigger symptoms in asthmatics. Theenvironmental protection agency (EPA) lists secondhand smoke, dustmites, mold, pests, warm-blooded pets, and nitrogen and outside as themost common indoor asthma triggers. Approximately one in ten Americanshave been diagnosed with asthma and 70% of them also have allergies. Itis estimated that the number of asthmatics will grow to 100 million by2025.

There have been numerous studies showing an association between indoorair quality and heart disease. In particular, carbon monoxide, nitrogendioxide, and fine particle mass have been found to trigger episodes inarrhythmia patients. According to another study, particle mass exposureshould be considered as a target for treatment of coronary arterydisease—the leading cause of death in developed nations.

Still, the study of the health effects from indoor air quality has onlyjust begun. There are links between indoor air exposure and diabetes,obesity, neurodevelopmental disorders, among many others. As the numberof people suffering from poor indoor air quality continues to grow, thescientific literature and the awareness of this health issue will growas well.

Telemedicine has been shown to reduce the cost of healthcare andincrease efficiency through better management of chronic diseases byreducing and shortening hospital visits. The providers of telemedicinetechnology can help hospitals control their costs where it matters most.

In the current administration's healthcare reforms, new legislation willpenalize hospitals for readmission. Currently, readmissions are the mostcostly to the government and the taxpayer taking up nearly 20% ofMedicare's $103 billion budget. In fact, one in five patients dischargedare readmitted within 30 days. This is widely regarded to be anavoidable problem. However, some patients with chronic diseases willalways be coming back.

Due to the chronic and worsening nature of COPD, patients suffering fromthis disease have some of the highest readmission rates. Consequently,the average annual Medicare expenditure on COPD patients is nearlydouble that of all covered patients. COPD also has the highest cost ofcare of all illnesses. Knowing that poor indoor air quality can triggersymptoms in COPD patients, remote and constant monitoring of the indoorair quality in COPD patients' homes can help reduce these costs.

Asthma is responsible for a large number of hospital visits as well. Itaccounts for 10.5 million visits each year and is the third rankingcause of visits for children under 15. As a result, the direct cost dueto asthma in the United States each year is $14.7 billion. While peoplesuffering from asthma know the importance of eliminating triggers fromtheir environment, fewer than 30% know what those triggers are. Constantmonitoring of indoor air quality can raise awareness of asthma triggersand prevent millions of hospital visits each year.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary to provide a basicunderstanding of some aspects described herein. This summary is not anextensive overview of the disclosed subject matter. It is not intendedto identify key or critical elements of the disclosed subject matter, ordelineate the scope of the subject disclosure. Its sole purpose is topresent some concepts of the disclosed subject matter in a simplifiedform as a prelude to the more detailed description presented later.

Telemedicine is the future of healthcare and along with it comestelemonitoring. Yet, there is no cost effective method to remotely andcontinuously monitor indoor air quality. Poor indoor air quality has anegative impact, short-term and long-term, on the health andproductivity of those at home, work, and school. It is an increasingissue putting a negative strain on our economy by increasing costs tobusinesses and healthcare. Telemonitoring of indoor air quality canimprove healthcare and control these costs. However, if it is to gainwidespread adoption, the technology must be reliable and easy to use.

Currently, there are other commercially available multi-sensor gasdetectors. Most detectors used by consumers today are still limited toonly carbon monoxide, and unless predefined thresholds are reached totrigger an alarm, homeowners are typically unaware of gas concentrationor trends in their homes. For instance, the standards most carbonmonoxide detectors adhere to are at levels above the sensitivity levelsof patients at risk or with certain respiratory or heart diseases.Another solution available is a home indoor air quality kit. These kitsare often expensive, take only one-time readings of the environmentalvariables, and can be misinterpreted by the homeowner. Environmentalwatch groups and in-home inspection services also exist. However onceagain, there are no cost-effective methods for continuously and remotelymonitoring conditions when they are not on-site.

In accordance with various embodiments described herein, the disclosedsubject matter provides a telemonitoring solution for indoor air qualityin residential environments where no other solution exists. The subjectmatter provides a commercially feasible, efficient, and useful indoorair quality monitor. Generally, commercially feasible gas sensors arenot perfectly selective or highly sensitive. Accordingly, the disclosedand described subject matter utilizes algorithms to integrate data frommultiple commercially feasible gas sensors in an air quality monitor todevelop more accurate data processing and eliminate noise anduncertainty at low levels.

Data integration is used to (1) integrate the data from individualsensors to reach a conclusion about the suitability of the environmentat a particular instance in time, (2) detect unfavorable/unhealthyoperating conditions, isolate the problem and make an inference aboutthe source, and then alert the user, and (3) use historical informationto provide an estimate of future trend. The described data integrationcapabilities provide methods to not only detect an acute spike inspecific hazardous gas concentrations, but also monitor developingtrends in concentration. This enables individuals to proactively takenecessary action to maintain a healthy living environment before a realrisk is present. The subject matter can also send real-time updates oralerts to a homeowner or healthcare provider via e-mail or text message.

In accordance with one or more various embodiments, the subjectapplication describes a networked air quality monitor system, comprisinga sensor component that continuously monitors residential air quality toestablish data points with respect to disparate pollutants, and a radiomodule that broadcasts the data points to a server.

In accordance with one or more further embodiments, the subjectapplication describes and discloses a system comprising an air qualitymonitor located in a residential house, the air quality monitorconfigured to measure a level of an air pollutant, and a servercommunicatively coupled to the air quality monitor, the serverconfigured to generate a unique environmental fingerprint associatedwith a residential house.

In accordance yet one or more additional embodiments, the subjectapplication describes and discloses a method, comprising: receiving dataassociated with a level of an air pollutant within a residential house,establishing a baseline environmental fingerprint for the residentialhouse as a function of the level of the air pollutant, monitoringsubsequent data associated with the level of the air pollutant withinthe residential house for a deviation from the baseline environmentalfingerprint, and in response to the deviation from the baselineenvironmental fingerprint, transmitting a notification to an air qualitymonitor situated within the residential house to activate anaudio/visual warning indicator.

The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detailcertain illustrative aspects of the disclosed subject matter. Theseaspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways inwhich the principles of the subject application can be employed. Thedisclosed subject matter is intended to include all such aspects andtheir equivalents. Other advantages and distinctive features of thedisclosed subject matter will become apparent from the followingdetailed description of the various embodiments when considered inconjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the subject disclosureare described with reference to the following figures, wherein likereference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various viewsunless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 illustrates a network air quality monitoring system thatcontinuously monitors residential air quality and provides a trend basedanalysis regarding various air pollutants.

FIG. 2 provides a more detailed depiction of a sensor component inaccordance with an aspect of the subject application.

FIG. 3 provides a more detailed illustration of a particulate sensor inaccordance with an aspect of the subject application.

FIG. 4 provides a more detailed depiction of a temperature sensor inaccordance with an aspect of the subject application.

FIG. 5 provides further depiction of the relative humidity sensor inaccordance with an aspect of the subject application.

FIG. 6 provides illustration of a volatile organic compounds sensor inaccordance with an aspect of the subject application.

FIG. 7 provides illustration of a nitrogen oxides sensor in accordancewith an aspect of the subject application.

FIG. 8 provides a more detailed depiction of a combustible gas sensor inaccordance with an aspect of the subject application.

FIG. 9 provides a more detailed illustration of a carbon dioxide sensorin accordance with an aspect of the subject application.

FIG. 10 provides a more detailed depiction of a formaldehyde sensor inaccordance with an aspect of the subject application.

FIG. 11 provides a more detailed depiction of a server in accordancewith an aspect of the subject application.

FIG. 12 provides further depiction of a sensor component in accordancewith an aspect of the subject application.

FIG. 13 illustrates a method for monitoring residential air quality andproviding trend based analysis in regard to various air pollutants.

FIG. 14 illustrates a further method for monitoring residential airquality and providing trend based analysis and/or notification in regardto various air pollutants.

FIG. 15 illustrates a block diagram of a computing system operable toexecute the disclosed systems and methods, in accordance with anembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth toprovide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. One skilled in therelevant art will recognize, however, that the techniques describedherein can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, orwith other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances,well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown ordescribed in detail to avoid obscuring certain aspects.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” or “anembodiment,” means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the embodiment is includedin at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in oneembodiment,” or “in an embodiment,” in various places throughout thisspecification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics maybe combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

As utilized herein, terms “component,” “system,” “interface,” and thelike are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, hardware,software (e.g., in execution), and/or firmware. For example, a componentcan be a processor, a process running on a processor, an object, anexecutable, a program, a storage device, and/or a computer. By way ofillustration, an application running on a server and the server can be acomponent. One or more components can reside within a process, and acomponent can be localized on one computer and/or distributed betweentwo or more computers.

Further, these components can execute from various computer readablemedia having various data structures stored thereon. The components cancommunicate via local and/or remote processes such as in accordance witha signal having one or more data packets (e.g., data from one componentinteracting with another component in a local system, distributedsystem, and/or across a network, e.g., the Internet, a local areanetwork, a wide area network, etc. with other systems via the signal).

As another example, a component can be an apparatus with specificfunctionality provided by mechanical parts operated by electric orelectronic circuitry; the electric or electronic circuitry can beoperated by a software application or a firmware application executed byone or more processors; the one or more processors can be internal orexternal to the apparatus and can execute at least a part of thesoftware or firmware application. As yet another example, a componentcan be an apparatus that provides specific functionality throughelectronic components without mechanical parts; the electroniccomponents can include one or more processors therein to executesoftware and/or firmware that confer(s), at least in part, thefunctionality of the electronic components. In an aspect, a componentcan emulate an electronic component via a virtual machine, e.g., withina cloud computing system.

The word “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is used herein to meanserving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance ofdoubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by suchexamples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as“exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is not necessarily to be construed aspreferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meantto preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known tothose of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that theterms “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used ineither the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intendedto be inclusive—in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as an opentransition word—without precluding any additional or other elements.

Artificial intelligence based systems, e.g., utilizing explicitly and/orimplicitly trained classifiers, can be employed in connection withperforming inference and/or probabilistic determinations and/orstatistical-based determinations as in accordance with one or moreaspects of the disclosed subject matter as described herein. Forexample, an artificial intelligence system can be used to selectappropriate relay stations for secondary transmitter and secondaryreceivers randomly situated within a cognitive radio network, whereinthe secondary receiver and secondary transmitter can base theirrespective decisions as to which relay station is the most suitablerelay station at least in part on links between the relay station andthe secondary receiver and the secondary transmitter and the relaystation.

As used herein, the term “infer” or “inference” refers generally to theprocess of reasoning about, or inferring states of, the system,environment, user, and/or intent from a set of observations as capturedvia events and/or data. Captured data and events can include user data,device data, environment data, data from sensors, sensor data,application data, implicit data, explicit data, etc. Inference can beemployed to identify a specific context or action, or can generate aprobability distribution over states of interest based on aconsideration of data and events, for example.

Inference can also refer to techniques employed for composinghigher-level events from a set of events and/or data. Such inferenceresults in the construction of new events or actions from a set ofobserved events and/or stored event data, whether the events arecorrelated in close temporal proximity, and whether the events and datacome from one or several event and data sources. Various classificationschemes and/or systems (e.g., support vector machines, neural networks,expert systems, Bayesian belief networks, fuzzy logic, and data fusionengines) can be employed in connection with performing automatic and/orinferred action in connection with the disclosed subject matter.

In addition, the disclosed subject matter can be implemented as amethod, apparatus, or article of manufacture using standard programmingand/or engineering techniques to produce software, firmware, hardware,or any combination thereof to control a computer to implement thedisclosed subject matter. The term “article of manufacture” as usedherein is intended to encompass a computer program accessible from anycomputer-readable device, computer-readable carrier, orcomputer-readable media. For example, computer-readable media caninclude, but are not limited to, a magnetic storage device, e.g., harddisk; floppy disk; magnetic strip(s); an optical disk (e.g., compactdisk (CD), a digital video disc (DVD), a Blu-ray Disc™ (BD)); a smartcard; a flash memory device (e.g., card, stick, key drive); and/or avirtual device that emulates a storage device and/or any of the abovecomputer-readable media.

In accordance with an embodiment, the subject application describes anddiscloses a networked air quality monitor system, comprising: a sensorcomponent that continuously monitors residential air quality toestablish data points with respect to disparate pollutants, and a radiomodule that broadcasts the data points to a server. The serverestablishes a unique environmental fingerprint using the data points andthe disparate pollutants. The unique environmental fingerprint isdependent on characteristics of a residence within which the sensorcomponent is located. The disparate pollutants include air borneparticulate matter, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, carbonmonoxide, combustible gases, carbon dioxide, or formaldehyde. The sensorcomponent further comprises a temperature module and a relative humiditymodule. The sensor component includes a sensor power supply configuredto supply power to a particulate sensor, a temperature sensor, arelative humidity sensor, a volatile organic compounds sensor, anitrogen oxides sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, a combustible gassensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, or a formaldehyde sensor. The sensorpower supply is configured to pre-heat the volatile organic compoundsensor, the nitrogen oxides sensor, the combustible gas sensor, thecarbon dioxide sensor, or the formaldehyde sensor. The particulatesensor further comprises an audio/visual indicator configured to alert auser regarding an elevated level of one or more of the disparatepollutants.

In accordance with yet further embodiments, the subject applicationdescribes and discloses a system, comprising: an air quality monitorlocated in a residential house, the air quality monitor is configured tomeasure a level of an air pollutant, the air quality monitor iscommunicatively coupled to a server configured to generate a uniqueenvironmental fingerprint associated with the residential house. Itshould be noted in relation to the usage herein of the term residentialhouse, that a residential house can include multi-family dwellings,apartment buildings, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, houseboats,motor homes, ships (e.g., passenger ships, cargo ships, bulk carriers,container ships, . . . ), airplanes, buses, hotels, schools, schoolrooms, class rooms, sports stadia, concert halls, movie theaters, andthe like.

The server continuously monitors the level of the air pollutant based ondata broadcast by the air quality monitor. The server further comparesthe level of the air pollutant against the unique environmentalfingerprint established by the server and associated with theresidential house. In response to an upward deviation between the levelof the air pollutant and the unique environmental fingerprint associatedwith the residential house, the server broadcasts a notification to auser to take remedial action to abate the upward deviation of the airpollutant. The server broadcasts the notification to the user throughuse of a short message service (SMS), a multimedia messaging service(MMS), a paging service, an e-mail, or telephonically. Further, inresponse to an upward deviation between the level of the air pollutantand the unique environmental fingerprint associated with the residentialhouse, the server broadcasts a notification to the air quality monitorto activate an audio/visual warning indicator. The server compares thelevel of the air pollutant against a threshold deviation value that is afunction of the unique environmental fingerprint and in response to thelevel of the air pollutant exceeding the threshold deviation, the serverbroadcasts a notification to the air quality monitor to activate anaudio/visual warning indicator. The server compares the level of the airpollutant against a threshold deviation value that is a function of theunique environmental fingerprint and in response to the level of the airpollutant exceeding the threshold deviation, the server broadcasts anotification to a user to take remedial action to take action toevacuate the air pollutant.

Additionally, the air quality monitor includes a radio module and asensor component. The radio module is configured to wirelesslycommunicate with a wireless access point located in the residentialhouse or the server that is located remotely. The radio module is alsoconfigured to wirelessly communicate with a second air quality monitorlocated in a second location within the residential house. The radiomodule can also be configured to wireless communicate with an airquality monitor located outside the residential house.

The sensor component can include a group of components that include orcomprise one of a power supply, a particulate sensor, a temperaturesensor, a relative humidity sensor, a volatile organic compound sensor,a nitrogen oxides sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, a combustible gassensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, and/or a formaldehyde sensor. The powersupply can be configured to provide power to heaters associated with thevolatile organic compound sensor, the nitrogen oxides sensor, thecombustible gas sensor, the carbon dioxide sensor, or the formaldehydesensor.

The particulate sensor can further include a power regulator and one ormore audio/visual indicators, wherein the one or more audio/visualindicators are configured to alert a user regarding an elevated level ofan air pollutant and the power regulator modulates power received fromthe power supply. In response to receipt of input from the particulatesensor, the temperature sensor, the relative humidity sensor, thevolatile organic compound sensor, the nitrogen oxides sensor, the carbonmonoxide sensor, the combustible gas sensor, the carbon dioxide sensor,and/or a formaldehyde sensor, the server can synthesize the input togenerate the unique environmental fingerprint associated with theresidential house.

The air quality monitor can filter conflicting readings associated withtwo or more of the particulate sensor, the volatile organic compoundsensor, the nitrogen oxides sensor, the carbon monoxide sensor, thecombustible gas sensor, the carbon dioxide sensor, or a formaldehydesensor. Further, the server can also filter conflicting readings thatare associated with detection of the air pollutant by two or more of theparticulate sensor, the volatile organic compound sensor, the nitrogenoxides sensor, the carbon monoxide sensor, the combustible gas sensor,the carbon dioxide sensor, or a formaldehyde sensor.

The server utilizes the level of the air pollutant received from the airquality monitor and a level of the air pollutant previously persisted toa database to generate a graph of a rise of the air pollutant over timeor a graph of a fall of the air pollutant over time. The server canutilize an artificial intelligence component, the level of the airpollutant received from the air quality monitor, and the level of theair pollutant previously persisted to the database to ascertain ordetermine a future rise of the air pollutant or a future fall of the airpollutant. In response to the artificial intelligence componentpredicting the future rise of the air pollutant, the server broadcasts anotification to a user to take remedial action to abate the future riseof the air pollutant through use of a short message service (SMS), amultimedia messaging service (MMS), a paging service, an e-mail, ortelephonically. In response to the artificial intelligence componentpredicting the future rise of the air pollutant, the server can alsotransmit a signal to the air quality monitor to activate an audio/visualwarning indicator.

Additionally, in accordance with yet further embodiments, the subjectapplication describes and discloses a method, comprising: receiving dataassociated with a level of an air pollutant within a residential house;establishing a baseline environmental fingerprint for the residentialhouse as a function of the level of the air pollutant; monitoringsubsequent data associated with the level of the air pollutant withinthe residential house for a deviation from the baseline environmentalfingerprint; and in response to the deviation from the baselineenvironmental fingerprint, transmitting a notification to an air qualitymonitor situated within the residential house to activate anaudio/visual warning indicator.

It should be noted that the systems and methods described and detailedherein can also be communicatively coupled with other health informationsystems and/or other in-home sensing modalities, such as pulse-oxmonitors, motion sensors, and the like.

It should also be noted that while the subject application has beenexplicated herein in terms of an air quality monitor communicativelycoupled to a server (see e.g., FIG. 1 ), the subject application canalso include the use of a plug computer (e.g., a small form factorserver for use in a home or office typically enclosed in an AC powerplug or AC adapter). The plug computer can provide store-process-forwardfacilities wherein sensor inputs that can be continuously and/orperiodically received from one or more sensors associated with an airquality monitor located in a residential house can be stored on apersistence medium associated with the plug computer. Sensor inputs canalso be processed by the plug computer and/or sent to a server forfurther processing. The plug computer can be connected to a cellularnetwork router via wired or wireless Ethernet, for example. Advantagesof using a plug computer, for example, are that it allows local storageto guarantee that no sensor data is lost due to disruptions to broadbandconnectivity, enables sensor inputs to be stored locally and/orcompressed/shaped so as to reduce the amount of data that needs to betransmitted (e.g., to a remote server), enables data transmissions ofaggregated sensor inputs to be performed when the cost associated withtransmitting data is reduced (e.g., at night) or when the network isunderutilized, etc. Further, use of a plug computer enables researchersand healthcare providers to correlate rises and falls in pollutantlevels to patient health as well as allowing remote monitoring ofpatients and their environments within the patient's house.Additionally, the plug computer can also allow remote actuation ofvarious devices based on input received from the air quality monitor andits associated sensors. For instance, a plug computer can be used toactuate ventilators, dehumidifiers, and the like to improve the airquality within the residential house.

Additionally it should be noted; the subject application can beintegrated or associated with a patient data system that can enable ahealthcare provider the ability to identify dangerous trends andtriggers when correlating patient data and/or air quality data. Furtheras will be observed, the subject application can employ software thatfuses patient data with air quality data to generate alerts to enable ahome care provider to take appropriate actions.

Furthermore, the subject application can be utilized to monitor thebuildup of mold spores with residential homes. This facility can beparticularly beneficial where a residential house has been subject toflooding and/or flood damage and the flooding and/or flood damage hassubsequently been remediated. Prior to the homeowners being allowed toreenter and reestablish residence in the house, the methods and systemsdescribed and disclosed herein can be employed to verify and ensure thatmold as a consequence of the flooding and/or flood damage is not ahealth hazard within the monitored residential house.

Turning now to the Figures. FIG. 1 illustrates a network air qualitymonitoring system 100 that continuously monitors residential air qualityand provides a trend based analysis regarding various air pollutants,such as airborne particulate matter, volatile organic compounds,nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, combustible gases, carbon dioxide,and/or formaldehyde. Additionally, network air quality monitoring system100 can provide feedback to a homeowner regarding elevated levels ofthese air pollutants. Such feedback can be useful when a homeowner or amember of his/her family suffers from a respiratory ailment such asasthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and the like. Asillustrated in FIG. 1 network air quality monitoring system 100 caninclude air quality monitor 102 that can be in communication with server108 and its associated database or data store 110. Typically, airquality monitor 102 can be located in a residential home. Generally, airquality monitor 102 can be positioned in an area where a personsuffering from a respiratory ailment such as asthma or chronicobstructive pulmonary disorder spends most of their time within theresidential house. For instance, air quality monitor 102 can be locatedin the common areas of the house, such as the living room, dining room,kitchen, study, and the like.

Air quality monitor 102 can include a radio module 104 and a sensorcomponent 106. Radio module 104 can provide wireless communicationbetween air quality monitor 102 and server 108 and its associateddatabase or data store 110. Radio module 104 can also provide wirelesscommunication between air quality monitor 102 and other disparatewireless devices that can be extant within the residential house, suchas access points, access terminals, wired and/or wireless routers, cellphones, smart phones, laptops, handheld communication devices, handheldcomputing devices, satellite radios, global positioning systems,personal digital assistants, and/or any other suitable device forcommunicating over a wireless communication system or interacting with awired communication network, such as the Internet. In order to providethis facility, radio module 104 can include multiple antenna groups, andcan include a transmitter chain and a receiver chain, each of which inturn can comprise a plurality of components associated with a signaltransmission and reception (e.g., processors, modulators, multiplexers,demodulators, demultiplexers, antennas, etc.), as will be appreciated bythose reasonably skilled in the art.

Radio module 104, as stated above, can communicate with server 108, oneor more mobile device, end user equipment, or access terminal, such ascell phones or a smart phones; however it is to be appreciated thatradio module 104 can communicate with substantially any number of mobiledevices, access terminals, and/or user equipment. As mentioned above,such mobile devices, user equipment, or access terminals can includehandheld communication devices, satellite radios, other wired and/orwireless communication infrastructure (e.g., access points), and thelike for wirelessly communicating over a wireless cellular network orinteracting with a wired communication network. Generally, where suchend user equipment and/or server 108, for instance, is communicatingwith radio module 104 included in air quality monitor 102, the userequipment and/or server 108 will communicate by way of one or moreantennas associated with radio module 104. Thus for instance, whereserver 108 is in communication with radio module 104 included in airquality monitor 102, transmission of information from radio module 104to server 108 can be performed over a forward link and informationreceived by radio module 104 from server 108 can be performed over areverse link. In a frequency division duplex (FDD) system, the forwardlink can utilize a different frequency band than that used by thereverse link. Further, in a time division duplex (TDD) system theforward link and the reverse link can employ a common frequency.

Each group of antennas associated with radio module 104 and/or the areainto which each group of antennas is designated to communicate can bereferred as a sector. For example, antenna groups can be designed tocommunicate to access terminals or user equipment in a sector whereinantennas transmitting over forward links can utilize beamforming toimprove signal-to-noise ratio of the forward links.

Air quality module 102 can also include sensor module 106 that caninclude sensors for detecting the presence of airborne particulatematter such as mold spores, animal hair and dander, and dust, volatileorganic compounds typically released from building materials utilized inhome construction, such as formaldehyde, and the like, nitrogen oxides,carbon monoxide, combustible gases, such as methane, ethane, etc.,carbon dioxide, cigarette smoke, chemicals from cleaning products, gasesseeping through house foundations, and the like. Additionally, sensormodule 106 can also include temperature sensors and/or relative humiditysensors that can detect rises and falls in temperature and/or relativehumidity within the residential house within which air quality monitor102 is located.

In accordance with an additional and/or alternative embodiment, airquality monitor 102 can also include a store-process-forward aspectwherein sensor inputs received from sensor module 106 can be stored on apersistence medium included and/or associated (e.g., in the cloud) withair quality monitor 102. Sensor inputs can thereafter be processed byone or more processors included and/or associated with air qualitymonitor 102 and/or forwarded to server 108 for further processing and/orpost-processing. The beneficial advantages of including thestore-process-forward aspect within air quality monitor 102 are, forinstance, that such facilities permit local storage of sensor datathereby ensuring that no sensor data or processed data is lost due todisruptions to broadband connectivity. Further advantages can alsoinclude the ability to compress or shape the locally stored sensor dataand/or processed data to reduce the amount of data the needs to betransmitted to server 108 and/or to enable data transmissions ofaggregated sensor inputs and/or processed data when the costs associatedwith data transmission are reduced. Additionally, thestore-process-forward aspect can enable researchers and healthcareproviders the ability to correlate rises and falls in pollutant levelsto patient health as well as enabling remote monitoring of patientswithin their living environments. Moreover, the store-process-forwardfacility can allow for the remote activation or automatic activation ofvarious devices based on input received by air quality monitor 102 fromits associated sensors and processors. For example, air quality monitor102 can be used to automatically actuate air purifiers, ventilators,dehumidifiers, and the like when it is noted by processes executing onprocessors include with air quality monitor 102 that air quality withina habitable space has deteriorated beyond acceptable boundaries.

As stated above, air quality monitor 102 and server 108 can becommunicatively coupled with one another through a wireless forward linkand/or reverse link. During communication between the air qualitymonitor 102 and server 108, air quality monitor 102 can broadcast datapoints associated with detected pollutant levels within the residentialhouse. Air quality monitor 102 can continually monitor the environmentwithin the residential house for the presence of air pollutants and canthereafter dispatch the levels or detected levels of air pollutants toserver 108.

Server 108 on receipt of the detected pollution levels from air qualitymonitor 102 can persist the received information to database or datastore 110 and thereafter can analyze the received information todetermine whether any trends can be detected regarding whether levels ofspecific pollutants are rising or falling and/or whether there has beenany rise or fall in relative humidity and/or temperature within theresidential house. It should be noted that server 108 in conjunctionwith air quality monitor 102 continuously and constantly monitors thelevel of air pollutants and/or temperature and/or relative humiditywithin the residential house. Further, server 108, based at least inpart upon the received information regarding the pollutant levels,temperature and/or relative humidity levels within the residentialhouse, can generate or construct an environmental fingerprint associatedwith the residential house. This environmental fingerprint, because eachhouse is designed, configured, and furnished differently, is generallyunique and distinct; generally no two houses will have an identicalenvironmental fingerprint. Typically, server 108 generates or constructsthe environmental fingerprint associated with the residential house whenthe first results (initial results, initializing results) are sent fromair quality monitor 102 to server 108. This initial environmentalfingerprint can provide a baseline from which the server 108 candetermine whether or not air pollutants, temperature, and/or relativehumidity within the house are rising or falling. Where server 108detects that one or more of the detected air pollutants, temperature,and/or relative humidity is rising (or falling) and/or has exceeded (orhas fallen below) a pre-established or predetermined threshold, server108 can dispatch notifications to the homeowner, via e-mail,telephonically, using a short message service (SMS), a multi messageservice (MMS), a paging service, or the like, to inform him/her thatactions need to be taken to abate the rise (or fall) in the pollutant,temperature, and/or relative humidity levels. Additionally and/oralternatively in this context, server 108 can broadcast a message orsignal to air quality monitor 102 indicating that air quality monitor102 should activate one or more audio/visual warning indicators that canbe associated with sensor component 106.

In the context of building, constructing, establishing and/or utilizingan environmental fingerprint unique to the residential house withinwhich the air quality monitor 102 has been situated, it should be notedthat the environmental fingerprint can evolve over time. For instance,the environmental fingerprint can be updated periodically orcontinuously with context-sensitive safety thresholds (e.g., for a givengeography or time of the year); with trend-adjusted targets; and/or withemerging externalities (e.g., weather, pollution, and outside airquality warnings). Additionally, the environmental fingerprint can beupdated (dynamically, continuously, periodically, . . . ) utilizingexternal sources, such as health information systems where mutuallyagreed-upon targets can be communicated to and acted upon by the server108 and/or air quality monitor 102.

Typical audio/visual warning indicators that can be activated based onthe message or signal received/dispatched from server 108 can includealarms, such as horns, buzzers, etc. and flashing light emitting diodes(LEDs). These audio/visual warning indicators and/or dispatchednotifications provide a method of informing the homeowner, and/or anyindividuals within the residential house suffering from respiratoryailments, that the air quality has deteriorated or is deteriorating todeleterious levels because of the rising levels of air pollutants and/orhumidity and/or temperatures within the house and that action needs tobe taken to either abate the air pollutants (e.g., by ventilating thehouse) or by moving to a safe zone within the house where there aredevices such as air conditioners, heaters, coolers, air filters, or airpurifiers that can better control air quality.

In the context of air quality monitor 102, air quality monitor 102 inaddition to being located in common areas of the residential house canalso be located in other less frequented areas of the residential house.Additionally and/or alternatively, multiple air quality monitors can beco-located within the residential house. For instance, a first airquality monitor 102 can be located in the common areas of theresidential house and a second air quality monitor (e.g., air qualitymonitor 102) can be located in one or more less frequented areas of theresidential house. Further, air quality monitor 102 can also be locatedexternally to the residential house. Thus for example, a first airquality monitor 102 can be located in the common area of the residentialhouse and a second air quality monitor 102 can be located outside theresidential house. Where there are two or more air quality monitorsdispersed within the residential house and/or externally to theresidential house, such a quality monitors can effectuate communicationdirectly with server 108 and/or can effectuate communication with server108 by nominating one of the two or more air quality monitors tofacilitate communication with server 108.

In context of air quality monitor 102 and/or server 108, it should benoted that, while not depicted for reasons of brevity, both air qualitymonitor 102 and/or server 108 can also include one or more processors tofacilitate operation of computer executable components and instructionsby the air quality monitor 102 and/or server 108, and one or morememories for storing the computer executable components and instructionsthat can be employed to facilitate and/or effectuate the various aspectsdescribed herein.

Further, in regard to air quality monitor 102 and/or server 108, wheneither the air quality monitor 102 and/or server 108 detects, dependingon the pollutant at issue, that the air quality within the residentialhouse exceeds or falls below a minimum or maximum threshold the server108 and/or the air quality monitor 102 can actuate an extremeventilation function wherein a ventilator can be utilized to evacuatethe noxious pollutant from the residential house or vent external airinto the residential house. In this aspect it should be noted that oneor more sensors can be associated with sensor component 106 that arecapable of measuring the replacement rate of air or the airflow withinthe residential house.

In regard to the capabilities and/or functionalities of air qualitymonitor 102, it should be noted that in certain circumstances airquality monitor 102 can operate independently from and/or in conjunctionwith input received from server 108. For instance, air quality monitor102 can automatically (e.g., without input from server 108) activate airpurifiers, ventilators, dehumidifiers, air conditioners, etc. locatedwithin a habitable space when it is determined that air quality hasdeteriorated beyond acceptable maximum or minimum levels. This facilitycan be actuated with or without the necessity of notifications beingdispatched by sever 108. Similarly, air quality monitor 102, as afunction of input received from server 108, can actuate one or more airpurifiers, ventilators, air conditioners, and the like when server 108identifies that air quality within a confined habitable space hascrossed the one or more thresholds or set points that can define anacceptable air quality. Once again, the automatic activation of airpurifiers, ventilator, mass air evacuators, and the like can beaccomplished with or without the requirement for broadcastnotifications.

Turning now to FIG. 2 that provides a more detailed depiction of sensorcomponent 106. As illustrated sensor component 106 can includeparticulate sensor 204, temperature sensor 206, relative humidity sensor208, volatile organic compound sensor 210, nitrogen oxides sensor 212,carbon monoxide sensor 214, combustible gas sensor 216, carbon dioxidesensor 218, and/or formaldehyde sensor 220. The noted sensors can eachbe coupled to a sensor power supply 202 that can be configured tosatisfy the power requirements for each of the sensors. As will benoted, the power requirements for each of the enumerated sensors candiffer markedly, and as such sensor power supply 202 can satisfy andadjust the supply of power to meet the disparate power needs of each ofthe above noted sensors.

Typically, sensor power supply 202 is configured to provide power to theheaters that can be associated with each of the volatile organiccompound sensor 210, nitrogen oxides sensor 212, combustible gas sensor216, carbon dioxide sensor 216, or formaldehyde sensor 220. Further,sensor power supply 202 can also be configured to regulate the suppliedpower to each of the included sensors (e.g., particulate sensor 204,temperature sensor 206, relative humidity sensor 208, volatile organiccompound sensor 210, nitrogen oxides sensor 212, carbon monoxide sensor214, combustible gas sensor 216, carbon dioxide sensor 218, andformaldehyde sensor 220) as well as regulate power supplied to one ormore audio/visual indicators, wherein the one or more audio/visualindicators are configured to alert a residential homeowner of theelevated levels of air pollutants extant within the residential house.

Particulate sensor 204 in accordance with one or more embodiments can bea laser particle counter that allows monitoring of indoor air qualityand detection of small (e.g., bacteria, mold, etc.) and large (pollen,etc.) particulate matter. Particulate sensor 204 can be configured tocount individual particles and provide an immediate response to changingenvironments. Particulate sensor 204 can thereby allow server 108 toascertain whether or not the indoor ambient environment within theresidential house is clean and/or is free of airborne particulatematter.

Temperature sensor 206 in accordance with one or more variousembodiments can be a serially accessible digital temperature sensor,wherein temperature data is converted from an internal thermal sensingelement and made available at any time as, for example, a 13-bit two'scompliment digital word. In accordance with an illustrative embodiment,communication with temperature sensor 206 can be accomplished via a SPIand MICROWIRE compatible interface. Temperature sensor 206 can have a12-bit plus sign temperature resolution of 0.0625° C. per LeastSignificant Bit. Generally, temperature sensor 206 can offer atemperature accuracy of ±1.0° C. (max.) over the temperature range from+25° C. to +65° C. When operating, temperature sensor 206 can consumeonly 250 μA (typ.). Further, temperature sensor 206 can include aconfiguration register that can be used to activate a low power Shutdownmode, which can have a current consumption of only 0.1 μA (typ).

In accordance with one or more embodiments, relative humidity sensor 208can be a covered integrated circuit humidity sensor. In one or morefurther embodiments, relative humidity sensor 208 can be a covered,condensation-resistant, integrated circuit humidity sensor with ahydrophobic filter allowing it to be used in condensing environmentsincluding industrial, medical, and commercial applications. Relativehumidity sensor 208 can use a laser trimmed, thermoset polymercapacitive sensing element with on-chip integrated signal conditioning.The sensing element's multilayer construction provides excellentresistance to most application hazards such as condensation, dust, dirt,oils, and, common environmental chemicals. Generally, the typicalcurrent draw of relative humidity sensor 208 can be in the range ofabout 200 μA.

Volatile organic compound sensor 210 in accordance with one or morevarious embodiments can be a sensing element comprised of a metal oxidesemiconductor layer formed on an alumina substrate of a sensing chiptogether with an integrated heater. In the presence of detectable gas,sensor conductivity increases depending on gas concentration in the air.A simple electrical circuit can convert the change in conductivity to anoutput signal which corresponds to the gas concentration. Generally,volatile organic compound sensor 210 has high sensitivity to lowconcentrations of odorous gases, such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfidegenerated from waste materials typically found in an office and homeenvironments. Volatile organic compound sensor 210 can also have highsensitivity to low concentrations of volatile organic compounds such astoluene emitted from wood finishing and construction products.

Nitrogen oxides sensor 212 in accordance with one or more embodimentscan be a sensor that detects very low concentrations of nitrogen oxides,in the range from 0.5 ppm to 10 ppm (and typically less than 0.5 ppm toin excess of 10 ppm), for example. Where a larger dynamic detectionrange is required (e.g., in the range from at least 5 ppm to 100 ppm)nitrogen oxides sensor 212 can be augmented with a heater. Generally,nitrogen oxides sensor 212 can be operational within an environmentaltemperature range from 20° C. to 50° C. (and typically from less than orequal to 20° C. to in excess of 50° C.) and an environmental humidityrange from 0 to 90% relative humidity, non-condensing.

Carbon monoxide sensor 214, like volatile organic compound sensor 210,can be a sensing element comprised of a metal oxide semiconductor layerformed on an alumina substrate of a sensing chip together with anintegrated heater, wherein in the presence of a detectable gas, sensorconductivity can increase depending on gas concentration in the air. Asimple electrical circuit can convert the change in conductivity to anoutput signal that corresponds to the gas concentration.

Combustible gas sensor 216 can be similar to nitrogen oxides sensor 212,and can be a sensor that detects very low concentrations of combustiblegases, typically in the range from 0.1 ppm to 100 ppm or in the range of0.5 ppm to 10 ppm, for instance. Like nitrogen oxides sensor 212,combustible gas sensor 216 can be augmented with a heating aspect; thiscan be particularly useful where a larger dynamic detection range isrequired.

Carbon dioxide sensor 218 can be a sensor that is similarly configuredto nitrogen oxides sensor 212 and combustible gas sensor 216. Likenitrogen oxides sensor 212 and combustible gas sensor 216, carbondioxide sensor 218 can be a sensor that detects very low concentrationsof carbon dioxide, in the range from 0.1 ppm to 250 ppm or from 0.5 ppmto 10 ppm. Further, where a larger dynamic detection range is necessary(e.g., in the range from 5 ppm to 100 ppm) carbon dioxide sensor 218 canbe operational with an associated heater. As noted above, carbon dioxidesensor 108, like nitrogen oxide sensor 212, can be operational within anenvironmental temperature range from 20° C. to 50° C. (and typicallyfrom less than or equal to 20° C. to in excess of 50° C.) and anenvironmental humidity range from 0 to 90% relative humidity,non-condensing.

Formaldehyde sensor 220 in accordance with various embodiments can be asensor similarly configured to volatile organic compound sensor 210and/or carbon monoxide sensor 214. Like volatile organic compound sensor210 and/or carbon monoxide sensor 214, formaldehyde sensor 220 can be asensing element comprised of a metal oxide semiconductor layer formed onan alumina substrate of a sensing chip together with an integratedheater. In the presence of detectable gas, sensor conductivity canincrease depending on gas concentrations in the air. A simple electricalcircuit can convert the change in conductivity to an output signal thatcan correspond to the gas concentration. Generally, formaldehyde sensor220 can have high sensitivity to low concentrations of gases, such asammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile organic compounds such astoluene typically emitted from wood finishing and construction products.

It should be noted, and as will be appreciated by those of ordinaryskill in this field of endeavor, that particulate sensor 204,temperature sensor 206, relative humidity sensor 208, volatile organiccompound sensor 210, nitrogen oxide sensor 212, carbon monoxide sensor214, combustible gas sensor 216, carbon dioxide sensor 218, and/orformaldehyde sensor 220 can, as described above, be separate/distinctsensors included in sensor component 106, or can be a combination sensorcomponent, wherein disparate sensing capabilities can be included on oneor more individual or individuated sensors. For instance, thefunctionalities provided by carbon monoxide sensor 214 and carbondioxide sensor 218 can be combined into one sensor component. Further,the functionalities provided by nitrogen oxides sensor 212, combustiblegas sensor 216, and/or carbon dioxide sensor 218 can be combined into asingle sensor, for example. Moreover, the capabilities of all theaforementioned sensor components (e.g., particulate sensor 204,temperature sensor 206, relative humidity sensor 208, volatile organiccompound sensor 210, nitrogen oxide sensor 212, carbon monoxide sensor214, combustible gas sensor 216, carbon dioxide sensor 218, and/orformaldehyde sensor 220) can, if necessary, be provided on a singlecomponent, for instance.

As will have been noted by those ordinarily skilled in this field ofendeavor, there can be instances where two or more sensors included insensor component 106 can detect the presence of airborne particulatematter and/or harmful gases (e.g., volatile organic compounds, nitrogenoxides, carbon monoxide, combustible gases, carbon dioxide, and/orformaldehyde). In order to ensure that false or conflicting readings arenot dispatched for analysis to server 108, sensor component 106 caninclude a filtering aspect that filters out conflicting readingsassociated with two or more of the constituent sensors included insensor component 106. Thus for instance, the filtering aspect can filterout conflicting readings from two or more of particulate sensor 204,volatile organic compound sensor 210, nitrogen oxide sensor 212, carbonmonoxide sensor 214, combustible gas sensor 216, carbon dioxide sensor218, and/or formaldehyde sensor 220.

In an additional and/or alternative aspect, server 108 can identify thefact that sensor component 106 has transmitted conflicting readings fromtwo or more disparate sensors included in sensor component 106. Whereserver 108 ascertains that sensor component 106 has dispatchedconflicting readings from two or more disparate sensors, server 108 canfilter out the conflicting readings. Thus, through a filtering aspect,server 108 can filter out conflicting readings from two or more ofparticulate sensor 204, volatile organic compound sensor 210, nitrogenoxide sensor 212, carbon monoxide sensor 214, combustible gas sensor216, carbon dioxide sensor 218, and/or formaldehyde sensor 220.

It should be noted that the sensors associated sensor component 106, inaddition to those previously enunciated above, can also include opticalsensors (e.g., infrared and/or ultraviolet sensors) and/or sonicsensors. Additionally and/or alternatively, passive radio sensors, suchas sensors that sense radio frequency interactions with a microelectromechanical system (MEMS), can also be associated or included with sensorcomponent 106. Other sensors that can be associated or included withsensor component 106 can include light level sensors, vibration sensors,lead sensors, moisture sensors, image sensors, and the like.

In addition to the foregoing described sensors that sense air quality,sensor component 106 can also include sensors that measure noise levels.Noise level sensors can enable remote monitoring of the effect ofoutdoor noise (e.g., emanating from cars, trains, airplanes, etc.) andindoor noise (e.g., high occupancy, music, televisions, . . . ) on airquality and childhood development, for instance.

Prior to deployment and/or periodically over the life expectancy of airquality monitor 102, air quality monitor 102 and/or the sensors includedwithin air quality monitor 102 can be subjected to calibration and/orre-calibration, wherein the sensors can be calibrated by individuallyplacing the sensors, placing two or more sensors, or placing air qualitymonitor 102 in a calibration chamber wherein gases, such as, nitrogenoxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, volatileorganic compounds, combustible gases, and the like can be introducedinto the calibration chamber at identified levels. In response to thespecified levels of introduced gases, the one or more sensors can reactwith an identifiable voltage level which can be noted and charted. Thus,a voltage level for a particular introduced gas can be associated withan identifiable concentration of gas, typically measured in parts permillion (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb). The curves determined orascertained from these calibration activities can be utilized by airquality monitor 102 and/or server 108 to provide indication of the airquality in the residential house.

Additionally and/or alternatively, because sensor accuracy drifts overtime, a self calibration feature is provided wherein, once sensors havebeen deployed in the field, these sensors can be calibrated orrecalibrated through communication with server 108, for example.Generally, where more up-to-date calibration curves have been obtainedby server 108, for instance, through calibration activities as describedabove, these updated calibration curves can be supplied (throughwireless or wired modalities) to the sensors associated with a remotelysituated air quality monitor (e.g., air quality monitor 102 situated ina residential house).

In addition, in the context of calibration and re-calibration of sensorsassociated with deployed air quality monitors, measurements from varioussensors deployed in one or more deployed air quality monitor located ina single residential house or multiple residential houses dispersedacross various geographical areas can be employed for purposes ofgenerating calibration curves that can be employed by server 108 forpurposes of calibration and/or recalibration of sensors in deployed airquality monitors (e.g., air quality monitor 102). It should also benoted, that the calibration/recalibration of sensors in deployed airquality monitors can be automated.

FIG. 3 provides a more detailed illustration 300 of particulate sensor204. As illustrated in FIG. 3 particulate sensor 204 can include powerregulator 302 and audio/visual indicators 304. Power regulator 302 canbe coupled to sensor power supply 202 and can regulate the powerreceived from sensor power supply 202 to ensure that particulate sensor204 operates within its specified power restrictions and requirements.Audio/visual indicators 304 associated with particulate sensor 204 canprovide various alarms, buzzers, and/or visual indicators that can actas warning indicators. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skillin the art, typical visual indicators can include light emitting diodes(LEDs). Audio/visual indicators 304 can be configured to alert aresidential homeowner of an elevated level of air pollutant within aresidential house, for instance.

FIG. 4 provides further illustration 400 of a temperature sensor 206. Asillustrated temperature sensor 206 can include power regulator 402 andtemperature module 404. As noted above, power regulator 402 can becoupled to sensor power supply 202 and can regulate the powerrequirements for operation of temperature module 404. Temperature module404 can be a serially accessible digital temperature sensor, whereintemperature data is converted from an internal thermal sensing elementand made available at any time as a 13-bit two's compliment digitalword. Generally, temperature module 404 can have a 12-bit plus signtemperature resolution of 0.0625° C., Least Significant Bit. Typically,temperature module 404 can offer a temperature accuracy of ±1.0° C. overa temperature range of +25° C. to +65° C. When operational, temperaturemodule 404 can consume approximately 250 μA. Additionally, temperaturemodule 404 can include a configuration register that can be used toactivate a low power shutdown mode that can have a current consumptionof only 0.1 μA.

FIG. 5 provides a more detailed illustration 500 of relative humiditysensor 208. As depicted relative humidity sensor 208 can include powerregulator 502 and relative humidity module 504. As noted above inconnection with power regulator 302 associated with particulate sensor204, and power regulator 402 associated with temperature sensor 206,power regulator 502 can be coupled to sensor power supply 202 and canregulate the power requirements necessary for operation of relativehumidity module 504. Relative humidity module 504 can be a coveredintegrated circuit humidity sensor. In accordance with an embodiment,relative humidity module 504 can be a covered, condensation-resistant,integrated circuit humidity sensor with a hydrophobic filter allowing itto be used in condensing environments including industrial, medical, andcommercial applications. Relative humidity module 504 can use a lasertrimmed, thermoset polymer capacitive sensing element with on-chipintegrated signal conditioning. The sensing element's multilayerconstruction provides excellent resistance to most application hazardssuch as condensation, dust, dirt, oils, and, common environmentalchemicals. A typical current draw for relative humidity module 504 canbe in the range of about 200 μA.

FIG. 6 provides a more detailed illustration 600 of volatile organiccompound sensor 210. Volatile organic compound sensor 210 can includeheater and power regulator 602 and volatile organic compound module 604.Heater and power regulator 602 can be similarly configured to thosedescribe above in connection with power regulators 302, 402, and 502respectively associated with particulate sensor 204, temperature sensor206, and relative humidity sensor 208. Accordingly, in order to avoidneedless prolixity further discussion on the aspects included withheater and power regulator 602 has been omitted. Volatile organiccompound module 604 can be a sensing element comprised of a metal oxidesemiconductor layer formed on an alumina substrate of a sensing chiptogether with an integrated heater. In the presence of a detectable gas,sensor conductivity can increase depending on gas concentrations in theair. A simple electrical circuit can convert the change in conductivityto an output signal that typically corresponds to the gas concentration.Generally, volatile organic compound module 604 can have a highsensitivity to low concentrations of odorous gases, such as ammonia andhydrogen sulfide generated from waste materials typically found in anoffice and home environments. Further, volatile organic compound module604 can also have high sensitivity to low concentrations of volatileorganic compounds, such as toluene emitted from wood finishing andconstruction products.

FIG. 7 provides a more detailed illustration 700 of nitrogen oxidessensor 212. Nitrogen oxides sensor 212 as depicted in FIG. 7 can includeheater and power regulator 702, and nitrogen oxides module 704. Asdescribed above in relation to the heater and power regulator 602associated with volatile organic compound sensor 210, heater and powerregulator 702 can be utilized and configured in a manner similar to thatdescribed in connection with heater and power regulator 602. Nitrogenoxides module 704 can be a sensor that detects very low concentrationsof nitrogen oxides, typically in the range from 0.5 ppm to 10 ppm, forinstance. Where larger dynamic detection ranges are required (e.g., inthe range from 5 ppm to 100 ppm) nitrogen oxides module 704 can utilizethe facilities of an integrated heater. Generally, nitrogen oxidesmodule 704 can be operational within an environmental temperature rangefrom 20° C. to 50° C. (and typically from less than or equal to 20° C.to in excess of 50° C.) and an environmental humidity range from 0 to90% relative humidity, non-condensing.

FIG. 8 provides a more detailed illustration 800 of combustible gassensor 216. As illustrated in FIG. 8 combustible gas sensor 216 caninclude heater and power regulator 802 that can be configured in amanner similar to that described and disclosed above in relation toheater and power regulator 702 associated with nitrogen oxides sensor212. Additionally, combustible gas sensor 216 can include combustiblegas module 804 can be a sensor that detects very low concentrations ofcombustible gases, typically in the range of less than 0.5 ppm to inexcess of 10 ppm, for example. Combustible gas module 804, like nitrogenoxides module 704, discussed above, can be augmented with a heatingaspect. Such a heating aspect can be particularly useful and/orbeneficial where larger dynamic detection ranges are required.

FIG. 9 provides a more detailed depiction 900 of carbon dioxide sensor218. As depicted in FIG. 9 carbon dioxide sensor 218 can include heaterand power regulator 902 that can be configured in a manner similar tothat described and disclosed in relation to heater and power regulator802 associated with combustible gas sensor 216 and heater and powerregulator 702 associated with nitrogen oxides sensor 212. Further,carbon dioxide sensor 218 can also include carbon dioxide module 904that can be a sensor that detects very low concentrations of carbondioxide, typically in the range from 0.5 ppm to 10 ppm. Where largerdynamic detection ranges are necessary (e.g., in a range from 5 ppm to100 ppm) carbon dioxide module 904 can be augmented with a heatingelement (e.g., a heater). Typically, carbon dioxide module 904 can beoperational within an environmental temperature range from 20° C. to 50°C. (and typically from less than or equal to 20° C. to in excess of 50°C.) and an environmental humidity range of between 0 to 90% relativehumidity, non-condensing.

FIG. 10 provides a more detailed depiction 1000 of formaldehyde sensor220. As illustrated, formaldehyde sensor 220 can include heater andpower regulator 1002. Heater and power regulator 1002 can be configuredand operate in a manner previously described in the context of heaterand power regulator 902 associated with carbon dioxide sensor 218,accordingly for the sake of brevity further description and disclosureof such aspects associated with heater and power regulator 1002 havebeen omitted. Also as illustrated in FIG. 10 formaldehyde sensor 220 caninclude formaldehyde module 1004. Formaldehyde module 1004 can be asensing element comprised of a metal oxide semiconductor layer formed onan alumina substrate of a sensing chip together with an integratedheater. In the presence of a detectable gas, sensor conductivity canincrease depending on gas concentrations in the air. A simple electricalcircuit can convert the change into conductivity to an output signalthat can correspond to the gas concentration. Generally, formaldehydemodule 1004 can have high sensitivity to low concentrations of gases,such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile organic compounds suchas toluene that can typically be emitted from wood finishing andconstruction products.

FIG. 11 provides a more detailed illustration 1100 of server 108. Asillustrated, server 108 can include analysis component 1102,notification component 1104, and artificial intelligence component 1106.Analysis component 1102 can receive various data points from air qualitymonitor 102 that can be in wireless communication with server 108.Analysis component 1102, upon receipt of the various data points fromair quality monitor 102, can construct or build an environmentalfingerprint associated with the residential house within which airquality monitor 102 is positioned. As has been noted above, theenvironmental fingerprint associated with the residential house willtypically be unique. In addition, to the various data points receivedfrom air quality monitor 102, analysis component 1102 can also utilizeinformation retrieved from an associated data store or database (e.g.,database or data store 110) to generate or create the environmentalfingerprint associated with the residential house. Typical informationthat can be retrieved by analysis component 1102 from the associateddata store or database can include information associated withthresholds (minimum or maximum) beyond which human health can beaffected. Generally, these thresholds are related to air qualitymetrics.

Analysis component 1102, having established a baseline or initialenvironmental fingerprint for the residential house within which airquality monitor 102 has been located, can effectuate a comparisonbetween the baseline or initial environmental fingerprint and adynamically or continuously updated environmental fingerprint for theresidential house. In this manner, analysis component 1102 can monitortrends (increases or decreases) in pollution levels within theresidential house.

In accordance with an embodiment, analysis component 1102 can develop agraph that outlines the trends in each respective pollutant monitored byair quality monitor 102. In accordance with this embodiment, analysiscomponent 1102 can plot the rise or fall of an air pollutant level overtime. Where analysis component 1102 notes an upward or downwarddeviation between the level of the air pollutant and the determinedenvironmental fingerprint associated with the residential house,analysis component 1102 can, through facilities provided by notificationcomponent 1104, broadcast a notification to a homeowner or user thathe/she should take remedial actions to abate the upward or downwarddeviation in the level of air pollutant extant within the residentialhouse.

Additionally and/or alternatively, where analysis component 1102 notesan upward or downward deviation between the level of the air pollutantand the environmental fingerprint associated with the residential house,analysis component 1102, once again utilizing facilities provided bynotification component 1104, can broadcast or dispatch a notificationsignal or message directly to the air quality monitor 102, wherein thenotification signal or message causes the air quality monitor 102 toactivate one or more audio/visual warning indicators, such as alarms,buzzers, and/or flashing light emitting diodes (LEDs), associated withair quality monitor 102.

In accordance with a further aspect, analysis component 1102 can comparethe level of an air pollutant against a threshold deviation value thatcan be a function of the environmental fingerprint associated with theresidential house, and in response to the level of the air pollutantexceeding or failing to meet the threshold deviation, server 108,through mechanisms provided by notification component 1104, canbroadcast a notification to the air quality monitor 102 that it (e.g.,air quality monitor 102) should activate one or more audio/visualwarning indicators as described above. In a similar manner, analysiscomponent 1102 can also compare the level of the air pollutant against athreshold deviation value that can be a function of the ascertainedenvironmental fingerprint associated with the residential house, and inresponse to the level of the air pollutant exceeding or falling belowthe threshold deviation, server 108, using facilities provided bynotification component 1104, can broadcast a notification to theresidential homeowner or the user that he/she should take remedialmeasures to ensure the evacuation of the air pollutant from theresidential house.

As has been noted above, server 108 can include notification component1104 that can broadcast a notification to the residential homeowner orthe user that he/she should take remedial measures to ensure theevacuation of an air pollutant from the residential house. Additionallyand/or alternatively, notification component 1104 can broadcast anotification to air quality monitor 102 that it should activate one ormore audio/visual warning indicators thereby raising an alarm to informthe homeowner or persons living within the residential house that airborne pollution levels have reached hazardous levels and that theyshould perform actions to avoid the pollution (e.g., by moving into anarea of the residential house that has a more salubrious air qualityenvironment). Typically, notification component 1104 can dispatch orbroadcast messages and/or signals using e-mail, the short messageservice, multimedia messaging service, a paging service, or any one of anumber of other communications techniques.

In context of building, constructing, and/or establishing anenvironmental fingerprint unique to the residential house within whichair quality monitor 102 is placed, analyzing data received from airquality monitor 102, and/or ascertaining whether or not air pollutantlevels within the residential house have exceeded or fallen belowacceptable threshold levels and/or have experienced rates of change thatindicate that the environment within the residential house have becomeless than tolerable, analysis component 1102 can be aided throughutilization of one or more artificial intelligence and/or machinelearning techniques and/or technologies that can be included withinartificial intelligence component 1106. For instance, artificialintelligence component 1106 can employ artificial intelligence and/ormachine learning techniques and/or technologies that employprobabilistic-based or statistical-based approaches, for example, inconnection with making determinations or inferences. Inferences can bebased at least in part on explicit training of classifiers or implicittraining based at least in part upon system feedback and/or a users' ora systems' previous actions, commands, instructions, and the like. Theintelligence functionalities and features utilized by server 108 canemploy any suitable scheme (e.g., neural networks, expert systems,Bayesian belief networks, support vector machines (SVMs), Hidden MarkovModels (HMMs), fuzzy logic, data fusion, etc.) in accordance withimplementing various automated aspects described herein. Additionally,artificial intelligence component 1106 can further factor historicaldata, extrinsic data, context, data content, state of the user, and cancompute costs of making an incorrect determination or inference versusbenefits of making a correct determination or inference. Accordingly, autility-based analysis can be employed with providing such informationto other components or taking automated action. Ranking and confidencemeasures can also be calculated and employed in connection with suchanalysis.

Server 108, and in particular analysis component 1102, notificationcomponent 1104, and artificial intelligence component 1106 can furtherinclude utilization of other components (not shown) that take advantageof information fission which may be inherent to a process (e.g.,receiving and/or deciphering inputs) relating to analyzing inputsthrough several different sensing modalities. In particular, one or moreavailable inputs may provide a unique window into a physical environment(e.g., an entity inputting instructions) through several differentsensing or input modalities. Because complete details of the phenomenato be observed or analyzed may not be contained within a singlesensing/input window, there can be information fragmentation which canresult from this fission process. These information fragments associatedwith the various sensing devices can include both independent anddependent components.

The independent components can be used to further fill out (or span) aninformation space, and the dependent components can be employed incombination to improve quality of common information recognizing thatall sensor/input data can be subject to error, and/or noise. In thiscontext, data fusion techniques employed by the components included inserver 108 can include algorithmic processing of sensor/input data tocompensate for inherent fragmentation of information because particularphenomena may not be observed directly using a single sensing/inputmodality. Thus, data fusion provides a suitable framework to facilitatecondensing, combining, evaluating, and/or interpreting the availablesensed or received information in the context of a particularapplication.

Moreover, server 108 and its included components (e.g., analysiscomponent 1102, notification component 1104, and artificial intelligencecomponent 1106) can also include utilization of one or more synthesizingaspects to combine, or filter information received from a variety ofinputs (e.g., text, speech, gaze, environment, audio, images, gestures,noise, temperature, touch, smell, analog signals, digital signals,vibration, motion, altitude, location, GPS, wireless, . . . ), in raw orparsed (e.g., processed) form. Such synthesizing aspects, throughcombining and filtering, can provide a set of information that can bemore informative or accurate than information from just one or twomodalities, for example. As discussed with respect to the data fusionaspects above, which can be employed to learn correlations betweendifferent data types, the synthesizing functionalities can employ suchcorrelations in connection with combining, or filtering the input data.

Additionally, server 108 can include aspects that determine contextassociated with a particular action or set of input data. As can beappreciated, context can play an important role with respect tounderstanding meaning associated with particular sets of input or intentof an individual or entity. For example, many words or sets of words canhave double meanings (e.g. double entendre), and without proper contextof use or intent of the words the corresponding meaning can be unclearthus leading to increased probability of error in connection withinterpretation or translation thereof. Accordingly, the contextdetermining aspects associated with server 108 can provide current orhistorical data in connection with inputs to increase properinterpretation of inputs. For example, time of day may be helpful tounderstanding and input—in the morning, the word “drink” would likelyhave a high probability of being associated with coffee, tea, or juiceas compared to being associated with a soft drink or alcoholic beverageduring the later hours. Context can also assist in interpreting utteredwords that sound the same (e.g. homonyms). For instance, knowledge thatit is near the dinnertime of a user as compared to the user campingwould greatly help in recognizing the following spoken words “I need asteak/stake”.

FIG. 12 provides further depiction 1200 of a sensor component 106 inaccordance with a further embodiment. As depicted, sensor component 106can include sensor power supply 202 that, as enunciated above in thecontext of FIG. 2 , can be configured to provide power to the variousincluded aspects of the assorted sensors comprising sensor component106. Typical sensors that can be included in sensor component 106 caninclude particulate sensors, temperature sensors, relative humiditysensors, volatile organic compound sensors, nitrogen oxide sensors,carbon monoxide sensors, combustible gas sensors, carbon dioxidesensors, formaldehyde sensors, and the like. The noted sensors can eachbe coupled to sensor power supply 202 whereupon sensor power supply 202can satisfy the power requirements for each of the included sensors. Ashas already been noted, the power requirements for each of the includedsensors can differ markedly; as a consequence sensor power supply 202can satisfy and adjust the supply of power to meet the disparate powerneeds of each and every sensor included in sensor component 106.

As is noted above, sensor component 106 can include a multiplicity ofsensors, typically, and as depicted in FIG. 12 , the multiplicity ofsensors can include at least a first sensor (e.g., sensor 1) and asecond sensor (e.g., sensor 2). Generally, the first sensor (sensor 1)can comprise at least one of a particulate sensor, a temperature sensor,a relative humidity sensor, a volatile organic compound sensor, anitrogen oxides sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, a combustible gassensor, or a carbon dioxide sensor, and/or the second sensor (sensor 2)can comprise at least one of a temperature sensor, a relative humiditysensor, a volatile organic compound sensor, a nitrogen oxides sensor, acarbon monoxide sensor, a combustible gas sensor, a carbon dioxidesensor, or a formaldehyde sensor, to enumerate but a few sensors thatcan be included within sensor component 106. Additionally and/oralternatively, one or more additional sensors (sensor w) can also beincluded; these one or more additional sensors can include other sensorsthat can monitor/sense the ambient environment. As depicted in FIG. 12 ,sensor 1, sensor 2, . . . , sensor w have been grouped together and arereferred to as sensors 1202.

Sensors 1202, in accordance with a further embodiment, can include aparticulate sensor as sensor 1 and a temperature sensor as sensor 2. Inaccordance with another embodiment, sensors 1202 can include aparticulate sensor as sensor 1, a temperature sensor as sensor 2, andone or more of a relative humidity sensor, a volatile organic compoundsensor, a nitrogen oxides sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, acombustible gas sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, or a formaldehydesensor as sensor w. In accordance with yet another embodiment, sensors1202 can include two or more of particulate sensor, temperature sensor,relative humidity sensor, volatile organic compound sensor, nitrogenoxide sensor, carbon monoxide sensor, combustible gas sensor, carbondioxide sensor, and/or formaldehyde sensor as sensor 1 and sensor 2. Inaccordance with yet a further embodiment, sensors 1202 can include atleast two sensors that include particulate sensor, temperature sensor,relative humidity sensor, volatile organic compound sensor, nitrogenoxide sensor, carbon monoxide sensor, combustible gas sensor, carbondioxide sensor, and/or formaldehyde sensor as sensor 1, sensor 2, . . ., sensor w. It should be noted in regard to the foregoing, that thesensors disclosed and discussed herein are not limited to particulatesensors, temperature sensors, relative humidity sensors, volatileorganic compound sensors, nitrogen oxide sensors, carbon monoxidesensors, combustible gas sensors, carbon dioxide sensors, and/orformaldehyde sensors. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skillin the art, other sensors equally capable of monitoring/sensing theambient environment can also be utilized with similar facility and/orutility.

It should be noted in connection with the aforementioned described anddisclosed features, aspects, structures, characteristics, and/orembodiments pertaining to air quality monitor 102 (and its components:radio module 104 and sensor component 106) and server component 108 (andits components: analysis component 1102, notification component 1104,and artificial intelligence component 1106) that these features,aspects, structures, characteristics, and/or embodiments can be combinedand/or interchanged in any suitable manner to form one or more furtherembodiments without departing from the spirit and intent of the subjectapplication. For example, air quality monitor 102 can include componentsthat can undertake the functionalities performed by server component108. Thus, air quality monitor 102 can include an aspect that performsanalysis of input received from the one or more sensors included withsensor component 106. Further, air quality monitor 102 can also includeaspects that broadcast notifications to relevant personnel (e.g.,homeowners, healthcare providers, researchers, etc.). Additionally, airquality monitor 102 can include functionalities the can undertake theabove described features performed by artificial intelligence component1106 located with server 108. Similarly, server 108 can perform thefunctionalities and facilities provided by air quality monitor 102.Thus, for example, server 108 can receive input broadcast directly fromsensors dispersed throughout a habitable area/space and thereafterprocess and activate one or more abatement devices (e.g., air purifiers,mass air extraction devices, ventilators, and the like) that can also belocated in the habitable area/space.

FIGS. 13-14 illustrate methodologies in accordance with the disclosedsubject matter. For simplicity of explanation, the methodologies aredepicted and described as a series of acts. It is to be understood andappreciated that the subject application is not limited by the actsillustrated and/or by the order of acts. For example, acts can occur invarious orders and/or concurrently, and with other acts not presented ordescribed herein. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts may be requiredto implement the methodology in accordance with the disclosed subjectmatter. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand andappreciate that the methodologies could alternatively be represented asa series of interrelated states via a state diagram or events.Additionally, it should be further appreciated that the methodologiesdisclosed hereinafter and throughout this specification are capable ofbeing stored on an article of manufacture to facilitate transporting andtransferring such methodologies to computers. The term article ofmanufacture, as used herein, is intended to encompass a computer programaccessible from any computer-readable device, carrier, or media.

FIG. 13 provides an illustrative method 1300 for monitoring residentialair quality and providing trend based analysis in regard to various airpollutants, such as airborne particulate matter, volatile organiccompounds, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, combustible gases, carbondioxide, and/or formaldehyde. Method 1300 can commence at 1302 wherevarious sensors included in an air quality monitor (e.g., air qualitymonitor 102) can be initialized. At 1304 an air quality monitor (e.g.,air quality monitor 102) can monitor the ambient air quality andbroadcast data to a server (e.g., server 108) for analysis and/or trendmonitoring. At 1306 messages or signals can be received from the server(e.g., server 108) regarding deviations from an establishedenvironmental fingerprint, wherein the established environmentalfingerprint is associated with a residential house within which the airquality monitor (e.g., air quality monitor 102) is located and theestablished environmental fingerprint is created or constructed by theserver (e.g., server 108) from readings dispatched by the air qualitymonitor. At 1308 notifications can be broadcast or dispatched to variouscomponents (e.g., particulate sensor 204, temperature sensor 206,relative humidity sensor 208, volatile organic compound sensor 210,nitrogen oxides sensor 212, carbon monoxide sensor 214, combustible gassensor 216, carbon dioxide sensor 218, and/or formaldehyde sensor 220)associated with the air quality monitor (e.g., air quality monitor 102),whereupon various alarms, buzzers, and light emitting diodes (LEDs) canbe activated. Additionally, notifications can be sent to a user or theresidential homeowner to provide them information regarding how to bringthe air pollutant levels within the bounds of prescribed or establishedenvironmental fingerprint established for the residential house.

FIG. 14 provides a further illustrative method 1400 for monitoringresidential air quality and providing trend based analysis in regard tovarious air pollutants. Method 1400 can commence at 1402 whereupon aserver (e.g. server 108) can receive data from one or more sensorsincluded in an air quality monitor (e.g., air quality monitor 102). At1404 the server can build a baseline environmental fingerprint for theresidential house within which the air quality monitor has beenpositioned. At 1406 the server can continuously monitor the datareceived from the one or more sensors included in the air qualitymonitor to ascertain deviations from the established baselineenvironmental fingerprint created for the residential house. Where theserver identifies an upward or downward trend in the air pollutantlevels established as the baseline environmental fingerprint for theresidential house it can dispatch or send notifications, alarms,signals, messages, etc. to the air quality monitor and/or to thehomeowner or user, making the homeowner or user aware that the airpollution levels within the residential house has become deleteriouslycontaminated or polluted and that the homeowner or user should takesteps to abate the problem.

As it is employed in the subject specification, the term “processor” canrefer to substantially any computing processing unit or devicecomprising, but not limited to comprising, single-core processors;single-processors with software multithread execution capability;multi-core processors; multi-core processors with software multithreadexecution capability; multi-core processors with hardware multithreadtechnology; parallel platforms; and parallel platforms with distributedshared memory. Additionally, a processor can refer to an integratedcircuit, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digitalsignal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), aprogrammable logic controller (PLC), a complex programmable logic device(CPLD), a discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardwarecomponents, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functionsand/or processes described herein. Processors can exploit nano-scalearchitectures such as, but not limited to, molecular and quantum-dotbased transistors, switches and gates, in order to optimize space usageor enhance performance of mobile devices. A processor may also beimplemented as a combination of computing processing units.

In the subject specification, terms such as “store,” “data store,” “datastorage,” “database,” “storage medium,” and substantially any otherinformation storage component relevant to operation and functionality ofa component and/or process, refer to “memory components,” or entitiesembodied in a “memory,” or components comprising the memory. It will beappreciated that the memory components described herein can be eithervolatile memory or nonvolatile memory, or can include both volatile andnonvolatile memory.

By way of illustration, and not limitation, nonvolatile memory, forexample, can be included in storage systems described above,non-volatile memory 1522 (see below), disk storage 1524 (see below), andmemory storage 1546 (see below). Further, nonvolatile memory can beincluded in read only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM),electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable ROM(EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory can include random accessmemory (RAM), which acts as external cache memory. By way ofillustration and not limitation, RAM is available in many forms such assynchronous RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM),double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), SynchlinkDRAM (SLDRAM), and direct Rambus RAM (DRRAM). Additionally, thedisclosed memory components of systems or methods herein are intended tocomprise, without being limited to comprising, these and any othersuitable types of memory.

In order to provide a context for the various aspects of the disclosedsubject matter, FIG. 15 , and the following discussion, are intended toprovide a brief, general description of a suitable environment in whichthe various aspects of the disclosed subject matter can be implemented,e.g., various processes associated with FIGS. 1-14 . While the subjectmatter has been described above in the general context ofcomputer-executable instructions of a computer program that runs on acomputer and/or computers, those skilled in the art will recognize thatthe subject application also can be implemented in combination withother program modules. Generally, program modules include routines,programs, components, data structures, etc. that perform particulartasks and/or implement particular abstract data types.

Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventivesystems can be practiced with other computer system configurations,including single-processor or multiprocessor computer systems,mini-computing devices, mainframe computers, as well as personalcomputers, hand-held computing devices (e.g., PDA, phone, watch),microprocessor-based or programmable consumer or industrial electronics,and the like. The illustrated aspects can also be practiced indistributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remoteprocessing devices that are linked through a communications network;however, some if not all aspects of the subject disclosure can bepracticed on stand-alone computers. In a distributed computingenvironment, program modules can be located in both local and remotememory storage devices.

With reference to FIG. 15 , a block diagram of a computing system 1500operable to execute the disclosed systems and methods is illustrated, inaccordance with an embodiment. Computer 1512 includes a processing unit1514, a system memory 1516, and a system bus 1518. System bus 1518couples system components including, but not limited to, system memory1516 to processing unit 1514. Processing unit 1514 can be any of variousavailable processors. Dual microprocessors and other multiprocessorarchitectures also can be employed as processing unit 1514.

System bus 1518 can be any of several types of bus structure(s)including a memory bus or a memory controller, a peripheral bus or anexternal bus, and/or a local bus using any variety of available busarchitectures including, but not limited to, Industrial StandardArchitecture (ISA), Micro-Channel Architecture (MSA), Extended ISA(EISA), Intelligent Drive Electronics (IDE), VESA Local Bus (VLB),Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), Card Bus, Universal Serial Bus(USB), Advanced Graphics Port (AGP), Personal Computer Memory CardInternational Association bus (PCMCIA), Firewire (IEEE 1194), and SmallComputer Systems Interface (SCSI).

System memory 1516 includes volatile memory 1520 and nonvolatile memory1522. A basic input/output system (BIOS), containing routines totransfer information between elements within computer 1512, such asduring start-up, can be stored in nonvolatile memory 1522. By way ofillustration, and not limitation, nonvolatile memory 1522 can includeROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or flash memory. Volatile memory 1520 includesRAM, which acts as external cache memory. By way of illustration and notlimitation, RAM is available in many forms such as SRAM, dynamic RAM(DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM),enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), Synchlink DRAM (SLDRAM), Rambus direct RAM(RDRAM), direct Rambus dynamic RAM (DRDRAM), and Rambus dynamic RAM(RDRAM).

Computer 1512 can also include removable/non-removable,volatile/non-volatile computer storage media, networked attached storage(NAS), e.g., SAN storage, etc. FIG. 15 illustrates, for example, diskstorage 1524. Disk storage 1524 includes, but is not limited to, deviceslike a magnetic disk drive, floppy disk drive, tape drive, Jaz drive,Zip drive, LS-100 drive, flash memory card, or memory stick. Inaddition, disk storage 1524 can include storage media separately or incombination with other storage media including, but not limited to, anoptical disk drive such as a compact disk ROM device (CD-ROM), CDrecordable drive (CD-R Drive), CD rewritable drive (CD-RW Drive) or adigital versatile disk ROM drive (DVD-ROM). To facilitate connection ofthe disk storage devices 1524 to system bus 1518, a removable ornon-removable interface is typically used, such as interface 1526.

It is to be appreciated that FIG. 15 describes software that acts as anintermediary between users and computer resources described in suitableoperating environment 1500. Such software includes an operating system1528. Operating system 1528, which can be stored on disk storage 1524,acts to control and allocate resources of computer 1512. Systemapplications 1530 take advantage of the management of resources byoperating system 1528 through program modules 1532 and program data 1534stored either in system memory 1516 or on disk storage 1524. It is to beappreciated that the disclosed subject matter can be implemented withvarious operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

A user can enter commands or information into computer 1512 throughinput device(s) 1536. Input devices 1536 include, but are not limitedto, a pointing device such as a mouse, trackball, stylus, touch pad,keyboard, microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, TVtuner card, digital camera, digital video camera, web camera, and thelike. These and other input devices connect to processing unit 1514through system bus 1518 via interface port(s) 1538. Interface port(s)1538 include, for example, a serial port, a parallel port, a game port,and a universal serial bus (USB). Output device(s) 1540 use some of thesame type of ports as input device(s) 1536.

Thus, for example, a USB port can be used to provide input to computer1512 and to output information from computer 1512 to an output device1540. Output adapter 1542 is provided to illustrate that there are someoutput devices 1540 like monitors, speakers, and printers, among otheroutput devices 1540, which use special adapters. Output adapters 1542include, by way of illustration and not limitation, video and soundcards that provide means of connection between output device 1540 andsystem bus 1518. It should be noted that other devices and/or systems ofdevices provide both input and output capabilities such as remotecomputer(s) 1544.

Computer 1512 can operate in a networked environment using logicalconnections to one or more remote computers, such as remote computer(s)1544. Remote computer(s) 1544 can be a personal computer, a server, arouter, a network PC, a workstation, a microprocessor based appliance, apeer device, or other common network node and the like, and typicallyincludes many or all of the elements described relative to computer1512.

For purposes of brevity, only a memory storage device 1546 isillustrated with remote computer(s) 1544. Remote computer(s) 1544 islogically connected to computer 1512 through a network interface 1548and then physically connected via communication connection 1550. Networkinterface 1548 encompasses wire and/or wireless communication networkssuch as local-area networks (LAN) and wide-area networks (WAN). LANtechnologies include Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), CopperDistributed Data Interface (CDDI), Ethernet, Token Ring and the like.WAN technologies include, but are not limited to, point-to-point links,circuit switching networks like Integrated Services Digital Networks(ISDN) and variations thereon, packet switching networks, and DigitalSubscriber Lines (DSL).

Communication connection(s) 1550 refer(s) to hardware/software employedto connect network interface 1548 to bus 1518. While communicationconnection 1550 is shown for illustrative clarity inside computer 1512,it can also be external to computer 1512. The hardware/software forconnection to network interface 1548 can include, for example, internaland external technologies such as modems, including regular telephonegrade modems, cable modems and DSL modems, ISDN adapters, and Ethernetcards.

The above description of illustrated embodiments of the subjectdisclosure, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intendedto be exhaustive or to limit the disclosed embodiments to the preciseforms disclosed. While specific embodiments and examples are describedherein for illustrative purposes, various modifications are possiblethat are considered within the scope of such embodiments and examples,as those skilled in the relevant art can recognize.

With respect to any figure or numerical range for a givencharacteristic, a figure or a parameter from one range may be combinedwith another figure or a parameter from a different range for the samecharacteristic to generate a numerical range.

Other than where otherwise indicated, all numbers, values and/orexpressions referring to quantities of detectable materials, conditions,etc., used in the specification and claims are to be understood asmodified in all instances by the term “about.”

In this regard, while the disclosed subject matter is described inconnection with various embodiments and corresponding Figures, whereapplicable, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments can beused or modifications and additions can be made to the describedembodiments for performing the same, similar, alternative, or substitutefunction of the disclosed subject matter without deviating therefrom.Therefore, the disclosed subject matter should not be limited to anysingle embodiment described herein, but rather should be construed inbreadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims below.

What is claimed is:
 1. A telemonitoring system for improving healthcare,comprising: a memory to store machine instructions; and a processor,coupled to the memory, that executes the machine instructions to performoperations, comprising: receiving an ambient value of ambient valuesfrom a sensor device of a group of sensor devices relating to indoor airquality affecting healthcare, wherein the sensor device is located in ahabitable structure, the sensor device comprising at least one of aparticulate sensor, a temperature sensor, a relative humidity sensor, avolatile organic compounds sensor, a nitrogen oxides sensor, a carbonmonoxide sensor, a combustible gas sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, anda formaldehyde sensor; as a function of the ambient value, establishinga baseline threshold value for the habitable structure; based on thebaseline threshold value, adjusting a parameter value associated withthe sensor device; and a notification component that provides anotification to take remedial measures when the ambient value exceedsthe baseline threshold value.
 2. The telemonitoring system for improvinghealthcare of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise,establishing the base line threshold value as a function of a historicalbaseline threshold value of historical baseline threshold valuesassociated with the habitable structure.
 3. The telemonitoring systemfor improving healthcare of claim 1, wherein the notification componentuses e-mail, short message service, multimedia messaging service, or apaging service to provide the notification.
 4. The telemonitoring systemfor improving healthcare of claim 1, wherein the operations furthercomprise in response to a change in the parameter value, the sensordevice facilitates a change in operating state associated with a climatecontrol device.
 5. The telemonitoring system for improving healthcare ofclaim 1, wherein the operations further comprise, adjusting theparameter value in response to determining that a benefit associatedwith adjusting the parameter value is greater that a cost associatedwith adjusting the parameter value.
 6. The telemonitoring system forimproving healthcare of claim 1, wherein the ambient value is a firstambient value and the sensor device is a first sensor device, andwherein the operations further comprise, establishing the baselinethreshold value as a function of a second ambient value associated witha second sensor device of the group of sensor devices.
 7. Thetelemonitoring system for improving healthcare of claim 6, wherein thefirst sensor device is in wireless communication with the second sensordevice.
 8. The telemonitoring system for improving healthcare of claim1, wherein the ambient value is a first ambient value and the group ofsensor devices is a first group of sensor devices, and wherein theoperations further comprise establishing the baseline threshold value asa function of a second ambient value associated with a second sensordevice of a second group of sensor devices.
 9. The telemonitoring systemfor improving healthcare of claim 8, wherein the sensor device is afirst sensor device, and wherein the operations further compriseestablishing a wireless communication via the first sensor device of thefirst group of sensor devices to the second sensor device of the secondgroup of sensor devices.
 10. The telemonitoring system for improvinghealthcare of claim 9, wherein the first sensor device is a relativehumidity sensor device.
 11. The telemonitoring system for improvinghealthcare of claim 9, wherein the second sensor device is a carbonmonoxide sensor device.
 12. A store and forward device for atelemedicine system, comprising: a processor that executes instructionsto perform operations comprising: receiving ambient value data of agroup of ambient values, wherein the ambient value data is associatedwith a group of sensor devices situated within a residential structurerelating to indoor air quality affecting healthcare, the sensor devicecomprising at least one of a particulate sensor, a temperature sensor, arelative humidity sensor, a volatile organic compounds sensor, anitrogen oxides sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, a combustible gassensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, and a formaldehyde sensor; compressingthe ambient value data to form aggregation data representing anaggregation of values associated the group of sensor devices; andinitiating transmission of the aggregation data to a server device; andproviding a notification to take remedial measures when the ambientvalue exceeds the baseline threshold value.
 13. The store and forwarddevice of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise facilitatingthe server device to generate, based on the aggregation data, anenvironmental finger print associated with a defined area within theresidential structure.
 14. The store and forward device of claim 13,wherein the operations further comprise facilitating the server deviceto return the environmental finger print data to a sensor device of thegroup of sensor devices.
 15. The store and forward device of claim 14,wherein the operations further comprise facilitating the sensor deviceto change, based on the environmental finger print data, a stateassociated with a climate control device from a first state to a secondstate.
 16. The store and forward device of claim 12, wherein the groupof devices comprises a digital camera.
 17. The store and forward deviceof claim 12, wherein the group of devices comprises a motion sensordevice.
 18. A telemedicine communication method, comprising: receivingan ambient value of ambient values from a sensor device of a group ofsensor devices relating to indoor air quality affecting healthcare,wherein the sensor device is located in a habitable structure, thesensor device comprising at least one of a particulate sensor, atemperature sensor, a relative humidity sensor, a volatile organiccompounds sensor, a nitrogen oxides sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, acombustible gas sensor, a carbon dioxide sensor, and a formaldehydesensor; as a function of the ambient value, establishing a baselinethreshold value for the habitable structure; based on the baselinethreshold value, adjusting a parameter value associated with the sensordevice; and providing a notification to take remedial measures when theambient value exceeds the baseline threshold value.
 19. The telemedicinecommunication method of claim 18, further comprising: establishing thebase line threshold value as a function of a historical baselinethreshold value of historical baseline threshold values associated withthe habitable structure.
 20. The telemedicine communication monitormethod of claim 18, wherein providing the notification comprises sendingat least one of an e-mail, a short message, a multimedia message, or apage.